The present invention relates generally to hands-free communication devices, and more particularly to an alternative to headsets and earsets of the type used by persons engaged in telecommunications.
Presently, communication headset devices are used in a variety of applications. Such applications include use by telephone operators, radio operators, call center workers, customer service personnel, mobile phone users, multimedia users, and for other situations wherein it is desirable to the user to use both hands for things other than operation of communication system components. Accordingly, a wide variety of headsets and earsets are known in the prior art.
For example, headsets with boom microphones are common. These headsets typically have a resilient gripping band which extends over the top of the user's head. In such headsets the earphone is pressed against one of the user's ears by the distal end of the band contacting the user's head above the opposite ear. In other instances, two opposing earphones are used, in which the speaker is surrounded by padding which contacts the outer part of the user's ear, or miniature speakers extend into the ear canal of the user. In either case, at least some contact is made with the user's ear, and the user's head or scalp. Some headset users, especially users who wear such devices for extended periods of time, such as call-center agents, complain of head and/or ear discomfort.
Still other prior art devices eliminate the over-the-top head band, and instead attach a miniature speaker to the user's ear by use of an ear clip. In such devices, some effort is made to make an attachment device conform to the user's ear.
Known communications headsets and earsets can be broadly characterized on the basis of several fundamental aspects of their design and function, including, but not limited to the following: whether they employ an invasive ear tip or a non-invasive, but ear-contacting speaker in delivering audible information to the user; whether they deliver monaural or binaural sound; their acoustical characteristics; how they are physically supported on the user; and their ergonomic qualities.
Headsets and earsets which deliver binaural sound (i.e. ones which have acoustical transducers for both ears) may utilize some type of headband arrangement to secure receiver elements to each ear. Although generally providing very stable support for the headset, headbands have the disadvantages that they increase the size and weight of the headset, and tend to be uncomfortable and obtrusive to the user, especially when worn for extended periods of time. Headsets which deliver monaural sound (i.e. ones which have only a single receiver situated near one ear) may be either right-handed or left-handed, i.e., they incorporate a single design adaptable to either the left or right ear of the user. Monaural headsets may be implemented with either a headband supporting a single receiver element, or with an earhook that fits around the ear. Typical self-supporting earsets rely on either a clamping mechanism to grip the user's ear, or a dual point retention system using opposing leverage against the ear by a portion of the earhook itself. Uneven weight distribution can be a problem for earhook monaural headsets, since the majority of the weight is only on one side of the head. Furthermore, earhooks have the disadvantages that they increase the size and weight of the headset, and tend to be uncomfortable and obtrusive to the user.
Considerations in the design of communications headsets include the comfort of the device, the ease of putting the headset on and subsequently adjusting it for use, the stability of the retention, the restrictions on the user's mobility which result from the wearing of the device, as well as the quality of sound delivered by the device. Comfort, stability and durability of the communication headset device are believed to be among the most important considerations. Acoustical qualities are similarly of high importance, depending upon the application and the personal interests of the user. Acoustical quality of the sound heard by a user can be affected by interface between the speaker and ear, i.e., the nature and extent of any contact between the speaker housing and the user's ear. Invasive ear tips provide a good seal, but can lead to problems relating to comfort and cleanliness. Non-invasive loudspeaker-type receivers, on the other hand, are more susceptible to acoustical degradation from background-level sound and attenuation of the acoustical wave passing through open space from the receiver to the ear. Other acoustical problems arise from the arrangement and size of components in a headset. It is clearly desirable to utilize speakers and microphones of the smallest possible size and least weight. However, the acoustical sound of loudspeaker-type receivers must function at a high level of sound quality so that the smaller speakers can deliver a stronger and/or higher quality acoustical signal.
Further, it is well known that there are numerous differences in the physical characteristics of people in terms of the size, shape, and structure of the ear and the head, the position of the ear on the head, and other biometric concerns. Accordingly, conventional approaches to headset and earhook designs often result in a headset that is not comfortable or stable for significant numbers of users.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a wearable communication system that is comfortable and stable for a large number of users having varying physical characteristics, while providing high quality acoustic performance.
Furthermore, headset speakers are typically either in loudspeaker mode if it is a wearable personal communication device, not directly connected to the ear, or in headphone mode when the speaker is directly connected to the ear. Privacy and other considerations may force the user to chose to have the speaker directly connected to the ear. In this case, in one alternative embodiment, the user has the option of switching the neckset of the present invention from loudspeaker mode to headphone mode without sacrificing quality, sound, or comfort. Traditionally speakers have a single voice coil and can only have a single impedence and output rating. However, the present invention seeks to eliminate this limitation by including a feature that allows the speaker to switch from loudspeaker mode to headphone mode by utilizing two ratings and a dual voice coil.
In view of the limitations of the conventional headset and earset designs and communication systems, the present invention overcomes these limitations by providing a lightweight, self-supporting wearable communication device that can be comfortably and securely fitted to a wide range of users without undue individual customization. The wearable communication neckset of the present invention may be easily adjusted and fitted so as to be worn comfortably and in a firm and stable fashion around the neck, just at or above the shoulders, of a wearer. It has the advantage of not being in direct contact with the more sensitive areas of the body, such as the ear and head or scalp. The present invention includes an ergonomic alternative to a traditional headset or earset. The device of the present invention places a speaker and microphone combination on or near the intersection of user's neck and shoulder, thereby eliminating the need for any sort of contact with or mounting to the user's head or ear. The freedom of movement and rotation provided to the receiver enclosure by the attachment is an advantage in certain applications where user mobility is important.
Furthermore, an alternative embodiment of the present invention allows the user to place the speaker on the ear if so desired. By placing a dual voice coil cable and ear hook underneath the speaker, the user can easily disengage the speaker from its housing and attach it to their ear for more private conversations. In addition, the speaker can include a switch to change the output of the device from loudspeaker mode to headphone mode in order to eliminate the need to control the volume when the user temporarily (for momentary privacy concerns, for example) places the device onto the user's ear with the ear hook. The switch may be manual or the device may be configured to automatically switch to headphone mode when the ear hook is utilized.